LONDON, _March_ 21, 1712–13.
I GAVE your letter in this night. I dined with Lord Treasurer to-day,
and find he has been at a meeting at Lord Halifax’s house, with four
principal Whigs; but he is resolved to begin a speech against them when
the Parliament sits; and I have begged that the Ministers may have a
meeting on purpose to settle that matter, and let us be the attackers;
and I believe it will come to something, for the Whigs intend to attack
the Ministers: and if, instead of that, the Ministers attack the Whigs,
it will be better: and farther, I believe we shall attack them on those
very points they intend to attack us. The Parliament will be again
prorogued for a fortnight, because of Passion Week. I forgot to tell you
that Mr. Griffin has given Ppt’s brother {527b} a new employment, about
ten pounds a year better than his former; but more remote, and
consequently cheaper. I wish I could have done better, and hope oo will
take what can be done in good part, and that oo brother will not dislike
it.—Nite own dear . . . MD.
22. I dined to-day with Lord Steward. {527c} There Frank Annesley
{527d} (a Parliament-man) told me he had heard that I had wrote to my
friends in Ireland to keep firm to the Whig interest; for that Lord
Treasurer would certainly declare for it after the peace. Annesley said
twenty people had told him this. You must know this is what they
endeavour to report of Lord Treasurer, that he designs to declare for the
Whigs; and a Scotch fellow has wrote the same to Scotland; and his
meeting with those lords gives occasion to such reports. Let me
henceforth call Lord Treasurer Eltee, because possibly my letters may be
opened. Pray remember Eltee. You know the reason; L. T. and Eltee
pronounced the same way. Stay, ’tis five weeks since I had a letter from
MD. I allow you six. You see why I cannot come over the beginning of
April; whoever has to do with this Ministry can fix no time: but as
{528a} hope saved, it is not Pdfr’s fault. Pay don’t blame poo Pdfr.
Nite deelest logues MD. {528b}
23. I dined to-day at Sir Thomas Hanmer’s, by an old appointment: there
was the Duke of Ormond, and Lord and Lady Orkney. I left them at six.
Everybody is as sour as vinegar. I endeavour to keep a firm friendship
between the Duke of Ormond and Eltee. (Oo know who Eltee is, or have oo
fordot already?) I have great designs, if I can compass them; but delay
is rooted in Eltee’s heart; yet the fault is not altogether there, that
things are no better. Here is the cursedest libel in verse come out that
ever was seen, called _The Ambassadress_; {528c} it is very dull, too; it
has been printed three or four different ways, and is handed about, but
not sold. It abuses the Queen horribly. The _Examiner_ has cleared me
to-day of being author of his paper, and done it with great civilities to
me. {528d} I hope it will stop people’s mouths; if not, they must go on
and be hanged, I care not. ’Tis terribly rainy weather, I’ll go sleep.
Nite deelest MD.
24. It rained all this day, and ruined me in coach-hire. I went to
Colonel Disney, who is past danger. Then I visited Lord Keeper, who was
at dinner; but I would not dine with him, but drove to Lord Treasurer
(Eltee I mean), paid the coachman, and went in; but he dined abroad: so I
was forced to call the coachman again, and went to Lord Bolingbroke’s.
He dined abroad too; and at Lord Dupplin’s I alighted, and by good luck
got a dinner there, and then went to the Latin play at Westminster
School, acted by the boys; and Lord Treasurer (Eltee I mean again)
honoured them with his presence. Lady Masham’s eldest son, about two
years old, is ill, and I am afraid will not live: she is full of grief,
and I pity and am angry with her. Four shillings to-day in coach-hire;
fais, it won’t do. Our peace will certainly be ready by Thursday
fortnight; but our Plenipotentiaries were to blame that it was not done
already. They thought their powers were not full enough to sign the
peace, unless every Prince was ready, which cannot yet be; for Spain has
no Minister yet at Utrecht; but now ours have new orders. Nite MD.
25. Weather worse than ever; terrible rain all day, but I was resolved I
would spend no more money. I went to an auction of pictures with Dr.
Pratt, and there met the Duke of Beaufort, who promised to come with me
to Court, but did not. So a coach I got, and went to Court, and did some
little business there, but was forced to go home; for oo must understand
I take a little physic over-night, which works me next day. Lady Orkney
is my physician. It is hiera picra, {529a} two spoonfuls, devilish
stuff! I thought to have dined with Eltee, but would not, merely to save
a shilling; but I dined privately with a friend, and played at ombre, and
won six shillings. Here are several people of quality lately dead of the
smallpox. I have not yet seen Miss Ashe, but hear she is well. The
Bishop of Clogher has bought abundance of pictures, and Dr. Pratt has got
him very good pennyworths. {529b} I can get no walks, the weather is so
bad. Is it so with oo, sollahs? . . . {529c}
26. Though it was shaving-day, head and beard, yet I was out early to
see Lord Bolingbroke, and talk over affairs with him; and then I went to
the Duke of Ormond’s, and so to Court, where the Ministers did not come,
because the Parliament was prorogued till this day fortnight. We had
terrible rain and hail to-day. Our Society met this day, but I left them
before seven, and went to Sir A[ndrew] F[ountaine], and played at ombre
with him and Sir Thomas Clarges, till ten, and then went to Sir Thomas
Hanmer. His wife, the Duchess of Grafton, left us after a little while,
and I stayed with him about an hour, upon some affairs, etc. Lord
Bolingbroke left us at the Society before I went; for there is an express
from Utrecht, but I know not yet what it contains; only I know the
Ministers expect the peace will be signed in a week, which is a week
before the session. Nite, MD.
27. Parnell’s poem is mightily esteemed; but poetry sells ill. I am
plagued with that . . . {530a} poor Harrison’s mother; you would laugh to
see how cautious I am of paying her the £100 I received for her son from
the Treasury. I have asked every creature I know whether I may do it
safely, yet durst not venture, till my Lord Keeper assured me there was
no danger. I have not paid her, but will in a day or two: though I have
a great mind to stay till Ppt sends me her opinion, because Ppt is a
great lawyer. I dined to-day with a mixture of people at a Scotchman’s,
who made the invitation to Mr. Lewis and me, and has some design upon us,
which we know very well. I went afterwards to see a famous moving
picture, {530b} and I never saw anything so pretty. You see a sea ten
miles wide, a town on t’other end, and ships sailing in the sea, and
discharging their cannon. You see a great sky, with moon and stars, etc.
I’m a fool. Nite, dee MD.
28. I had a mighty levee to-day. I deny myself to everybody, except
about half a dozen, and they were all here, and Mr. Addison was one, and
I had chocolate twice, which I don’t like. Our rainy weather continues.
Coach-hire goes deep. I dined with Eltee and his Saturday company, as
usual, and could not get away till nine. Lord Peterborow was making long
harangues, and Eltee kept me in spite. Then I went to see the Bishop of
Ossory, who had engaged me in the morning; he is going to Ireland. The
Bishop of Killaloe {531a} and Tom Leigh was with us. The latter had
wholly changed his style, by seeing how the bishops behaved themselves,
and he seemed to think me one of more importance than I really am. I put
the ill conduct of the bishops about the First-Fruits, with relation to
Eltee and me, strongly upon Killaloe, and showed how it had hindered me
from getting a better thing for them, called the Crown rents, which the
Queen had promised. He had nothing to say, but was humble, and desired
my interest in that and some other things. This letter is half done in a
week: I believe oo will have it next. Nite MD.
29. I have been employed in endeavouring to save one of your junior
Fellows, {531b} who came over here for a dispensation from taking orders,
and, in soliciting it, has run out his time, and now his fellowship is
void, if the College pleases, unless the Queen suspends the execution,
and gives him time to take orders. I spoke to all the Ministers
yesterday about it; but they say the Queen is angry, and thought it was a
trick to deceive her; and she is positive, and so the man must be ruined,
for I cannot help him. I never saw him in my life; but the case was so
hard, I could not forbear interposing. Your Government recommended him
to the Duke of Ormond, and he thought they would grant it; and by the
time it was refused, the fellowship by rigour is forfeited. I dined with
Dr. Arbuthnot (one of my brothers) at his lodgings in Chelsea, and was
there at chapel; and the altar put me in mind of Tisdall’s outlandish
would {531c} at your hospital for the soldiers. I was not at Court
to-day, and I hear the Queen was not at church. Perhaps the gout has
seized her again. Terrible rain all day. Have oo such weather? Nite
MD.
30. Morning. I was naming some time ago, to a certain person, another
certain person, that was very deserving, and poor and sickly; and
t’other, that first certain person, gave me a hundred pounds to give the
other, which I have not yet done. The person who is to have it never saw
the giver, nor expects one farthing, nor has the least knowledge or
imagination of it; so I believe it will be a very agreeable surprise; for
I think it is a handsome present enough. At night I dined in the City,
at Pontack’s, {532a} with Lord Dupplin, and some others. We were treated
by one Colonel Cleland, {532b} who has a mind to be Governor of Barbados,
and is laying these long traps for me and others, to engage our interests
for him. He is a true Scotchman. I paid the hundred pounds this
evening, and it was an agreeable surprise to the receiver. We reckon the
peace is now signed, and that we shall have it in three days. I believe
it is pretty sure. Nite MD.
31. I thought to-day on Ppt when she told me she suppose[d] I was
acquainted with the steward, when I was giving myself airs of being at
some lord’s house. Sir Andrew Fountaine invited the Bishop of Clogher
and me, and some others, to dine where he did; and he carried us to the
Duke of Kent’s, {532c} who was gone out of town; but the steward treated
us nobly, and showed us the fine pictures, etc. I have not yet seen Miss
Ashe. I wait till she has been abroad, and taken the air. This evening
Lady Masham, Dr. Arbuthnot, and I, were contriving a lie for to-morrow,
that Mr. Noble, {533a} who was hanged last Saturday, was recovered by his
friends, and then seized again by the sheriff, and is now in a
messenger’s hands at the Black Swan in Holborn. We are all to send to
our friends, to know whether they have heard anything of it, and so we
hope it will spread. However, we shall do our endeavours; nothing shall
be wanting on our parts, and leave the rest to fortune. Nite MD.
April 1. We had no success in our story, though I sent my man to several
houses, to inquire among the footmen, without letting him into the
secret; but I doubt my colleagues did not contribute as they ought.
Parnell and I dined with Darteneuf {533b} to-day. You have heard of
Darteneuf: I have told you of Darteneuf. After dinner we all went to
Lord Bolingbroke’s, who had desired me to dine with him; but I would not,
because I heard it was to look over a dull poem of one parson Trapp
{533c} upon the peace. The Swedish Envoy told me to-day at Court that he
was in great apprehensions about his master; {533d} and indeed we are
afraid that prince has {533e} died among those Turkish dogs. I prevailed
on Lord Bolingbroke to invite Mr. Addison to dine with him on Good
Friday. I suppose we shall be mighty mannerly. Addison is to have a
play of his acted on Friday in Easter Week: ’tis a tragedy, called
_Cato_; I saw it unfinished some years ago. {533f} Did I tell you that
Steele has begun a new daily paper, called the _Guardian_? {533g} they
say good for nothing. I have not seen it. Nite dee MD.
2. I was this morning with Lord Bolingbroke, and he tells me a Spanish
courier is just come, with the news that the King of Spain has agreed to
everything that the Queen desires; and the Duke d’Ossuna has left Paris
in order to his journey to Utrecht. I was prevailed on to come home with
Trapp, and read his poem and correct it; but it was good for nothing.
While I was thus employed, Sir Thomas Hanmer came up to my chamber, and
balked me of a journey he and I intended this week to Lord Orkney’s at
Cliffden; {534a} but he is not well, and his physician will not let him
undertake such a journey. I intended to dine with Lord Treasurer; but
going to see Colonel Disney, who lives with General Withers, {534b} I
liked the General’s little dinner so well, that I stayed and took share
of it, and did not go to Lord Treasurer till six, where I found Dr.
Sacheverell, who told us that the bookseller had given him £100 for his
sermon, {534c} preached last Sunday, and intended to print 30,000: I
believe he will be confoundedly bit, and will hardly sell above half. I
have fires still, though April has begun, against my old maxim; but the
weather is wet and cold. I never saw such a long run of ill weather in
my life. Nite dee logues MD.
3. I was at the Queen’s chapel to-day, but she was not there. Mr. St.
John, Lord Bolingbroke’s brother, came this day at noon with an express
from Utrecht, that the peace is signed by all the Ministers there, but
those of the Emperor, who will likewise sign in a few days; so that now
the great work is in effect done, and I believe it will appear a most
excellent peace for Europe, particularly for England. Addison and I, and
some others, dined with Lord Bolingbroke, and sat with him till twelve.
We were very civil, but yet when we grew warm, we talked in a friendly
manner of party. Addison raised his objections, and Lord Bolingbroke
answered them with great complaisance. Addison began Lord Somers’s
health, which went about; but I bid him not name Lord Wharton’s, for I
would not pledge it; and I told Lord Bolingbroke frankly that Addison
loved Lord Wharton as little as I did: so we laughed, etc. Well, but you
are glad of the peace, you Ppt the Trimmer, are not you? As for DD I
don’t doubt her. Why, now, if I did not think Ppt had been a violent
Tory, and DD the greater Whig of the two! ’Tis late. Nite MD.
4. This Passion Week, people are so demure, especially this last day,
that I told Dilly, who called here, that I would dine with him, and so I
did, faith; and had a small shoulder of mutton of my own bespeaking. It
rained all day. I came home at seven, and have never stirred out, but
have been reading Sacheverell’s long dull sermon, which he sent me. It
is the first sermon since his suspension is expired; but not a word in it
upon the occasion, except two or three remote hints. The Bishop of
Clogher has been sadly bit by Tom Ashe, who sent him a pun, which the
Bishop had made, and designed to send to him, but delayed it; and Lord
Pembroke and I made Sir Andrew Fountaine write it to Tom. I believe I
told you of it in my last; it succeeded right, and the Bishop was
wondering to Lord Pembroke how he and his brother could hit on the same
thing. I’ll go to bed soon, for I must be at church by eight to-morrow,
Easter Day. Nite dee MD.
5. Warburton {535a} wrote to me two letters about a living of one
Foulkes, who is lately dead in the county of Meath. My answer is, that
before I received the first letter, General Gorges {535b} had recommended
a friend of his to the Duke of Ormond, which was the first time I heard
of its vacancy, and it was the Provost told me of it. I believe verily
that Foulkes was not dead when Gorges recommended the other: for
Warburton’s last letter said that Foulkes was dead the day before the
date.—This has prevented me from serving Warburton, as I would have done,
if I had received early notice enough. Pray say or write this to
Warburton, to justify me to him. I was at church at eight this morning,
and dressed and shaved after I came back, but was too late at Court; and
Lord Abingdon {536a} was like to have snapped me for dinner, and I
believe will fall out with me for refusing him; but I hate dining with
them, and I dined with a private friend, and took two or three good
walks; for it was a very fine day, the first we have had a great while.
Remember, was Easter Day a fine day with you? I have sat with Lady
Worsley till now. Nite dee MD.
6. I was this morning at ten at the rehearsal of Mr. Addison’s play,
called Cato, which is to be acted on Friday. There were not above half a
score of us to see it. We stood on the stage, and it was foolish enough
to see the actors prompted every moment, and the poet directing them; and
the drab that acts Cato’s daughter, {536b} out in the midst of a
passionate part, and then calling out, “What’s next?” The Bishop of
Clogher was there too; but he stood privately in a gallery. I went to
dine with Lord Treasurer, but he was gone to Wimbledon, his daughter
Caermarthen’s {536c} country seat, seven miles off. So I went back, and
dined privately with Mr. Addison, whom I had left to go to Lord
Treasurer. I keep fires yet; I am very extravagant. I sat this evening
with Sir A. Fountaine, and we amused ourselves with making _ifs_ for
Dilly. It is rainy weather again; nevle saw ze rike. {536d} This letter
shall go to-morrow; remember, ung oomens, it is seven weeks since oor
last, and I allow oo but five weeks; but oo have been galloping into the
country to Swanton’s. {536e} O pray tell Swanton I had his letter, but
cannot contrive how to serve him. If a Governor were to go over, I would
recommend him as far as lay in my power, but I can do no more: and you
know all employments in Ireland, at least almost all, are engaged in
reversions. If I were on the spot, and had credit with a Lord
Lieutenant, I would very heartily recommend him; but employments here are
no more in my power than the monarchy itself. Nite, dee MD.
7. Morning. I have had a visitor here, that has taken up my time. I
have not been abroad, oo may be sure; so I can say nothing to-day, but
that I rove MD bettle zan ever, if possibbere. I will put this in the
post-office; so I say no more. I write by this post to the Dean, but it
is not above two lines; and one enclosed to you, but that enclosed to you
is not above three lines; and then one enclosed to the Dean, which he
must not have but upon condition of burning it immediately after reading,
and that before your eyes; for there are some things in it I would not
have liable to accident. You shall only know in general that it is an
account of what I have done to serve him in his pretensions on these
vacancies, etc. But he must not know that you know so much. {537a} Does
this perplex you? Hat care I? But rove Pdfr, saucy Pdfr. Farewell,
deelest MD MD MD FW FW FW, . . . ME, MD Lele.